


Like a Wolf, by killerangels13

by fanfairmod



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Forbidden Forest, Godfather Harry Potter, H/D Pet Fair 2016, Hogwarts, M/M, Professor Draco Malfoy, Short, Wolves
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-03
Updated: 2016-10-03
Packaged: 2018-08-17 10:06:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,282
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8140087
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fanfairmod/pseuds/fanfairmod
Summary: Author: killerangels13When a six year old makes new friends you never know what adventures wait for them.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Huge thank you to my sister for the quick Beta, even though this isn’t her favorite genre. Thank you to the MODs for hosting and putting the fest together. Dear Prompter, I fell in love with this prompt when I saw it, but it was more of a challenge to write than I thought it would be. Harry and Draco couldn’t decide what kind of a relationship they really wanted so I leave that up to you, the reader, to determine where they stand.
> 
> For [Prompt #127](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Td1Xj4ZNIqFDdQLtMpkOWEqn2hI5TEx8tEtrEU1u1U8/edit).

Harry left Headmistress McGonagall’s office and headed out to the grounds. They had had a good meeting in preparation of bringing the Triwizard Tournament back to Hogwarts this year. As he left the castle and looked out over the grounds he didn’t see Draco and Teddy anywhere, they had planned to visit Hagrid and then wait for him on the grounds.

He really liked that Draco wanted to spend time with and help care for Teddy, but sometimes the boy was a bit of a handful. Walking towards Hagrid’s hut Harry finally caught sight of Draco. “We’re finished, are you guys ready to head back? Where’s Teddy?”

“I don’t know where he is, we were looking at the garden and when I turned around he was gone. Hagrid and Fang are out looking for him as well.”

Harry knew that it wouldn’t do any good to get mad, and while he wanted to yell and hex Draco for being careless he knew it was more important to find the boy. At six years old Teddy could get into more trouble than Harry ever dreamed about, and he liked to explore new places. They had been to Hogwarts many times and Harry couldn’t think of anyplace Teddy hadn’t explored yet, until he looked around and a path into the forest caught his eye.

“Draco, have you checked the forest?”

“No I haven’t checked the forest, its forbidden and dark and scary, why would he go in there?”

“Because it is forbidden and dark and scary. Come on, we need to find him before something else does.” Harry took off for the forest conjuring Hermione’s favorite blue flame to help light the way. As the light floated along next to him he cast a spell to trace Teddy’s magical signature so they could follow it right to him.

After just a few minutes Harry heard what sounded like a child’s laughter and the yipping of dogs at play. Knowing that they only dogs that lived in the forest were an assortment of wolves Harry picked up his pace. Breaking through the trees into a clearing Harry saw Teddy playing what looked like a game of tag with wolves, but they were unlike any wolves that he had ever seen before.

“Harry!” Teddy saw that his godfather and cousin had joined him and came running over to them. “The littlest one was hurt, he had a sticker in his paw, and so I had to help him get it out. After that they invited me to play and I just couldn’t resist. Aren’t they beautiful? They said they live here in the forest and don’t get many visitors, but that I can come visit whenever I want to.”

“You can talk to wolves?”

“Well, not really. It’s more like they look at me and I know what they’re thinking. But not like the wolves that live near Godric’s Hollow, those one’s have much more random thoughts and they won’t stay and talk with me.”

“When did you meet wolves at Godric’s Hollow? And why would you try to talk to them?”

“Last summer, I was trying to rescue Mrs. Clearson’s cat, they wouldn’t listen to me. But these wolves will talk to me and even ask me questions. Can they come live in Godric’s Hollow with us? They could teach those other wolves some manners.”

Harry didn’t know what to say or think. Glancing at the wolves he saw they were sitting there as if they understood the conversation that was going on and just waiting to start the game up again. They were indeed beautiful creatures; their coats were neither grey nor white, more silvery with eyes that were almost human in design. He made a mental note to check with McGonagall about them and see what she knew.

“They are not coming to Godric’s Hollow with us. It’s time for us to get going and you, young man, are in trouble for running off from Draco like that. We will also be discussing this talent of yours for talking to wild creatures.” With that Harry took Teddy’s head and started to lead him back along the path out of the forest.

“Good-bye, I’ll come back and play whenever I can. It was very nice to meet you,” Teddy called back as they disappeared from view.

 

^^***^^

 

“Thank you, Professor, that is very helpful to know.” Harry pulled his head back out of the fire place where he had been talking with McGonagall. Standing up he dusted the ash from his palms and taking a seat he faced Draco and Teddy. “McGonagall says they have been living there for many years, they are the unique offspring of werewolves that mated while in wolf form. That’s most likely why they are more intelligent than the average wolf and why you were able to converse with them. Dumbledore discovered them and invited them to live in the forest.”

“So can I go back and visit them? I said I would and you always say we should keep our promises.”

“You told them whenever you could, and it doesn’t look like you will be going back any time soon. Right now you need to go get ready for bed, bath and brush your teeth and I will be up shortly.”

“I want Draco to read me a story.”

“If your quick I will come up and read you a story,” Draco cut in before Harry could deny the boy’s request.

Harry waited until he heard the bath running before sharing the rest of his conversation with Draco. “McGonagall thinks that Teddy is able to ‘talk’ to the wolves as a side effect from having a werewolf for a parent. Not many people are willing to get close to known werewolves so there isn’t much documentation or personal writings to go by. She knew Dumbledore could communicate with them, but he always was a little eccentric.”

“So it’s similar to parseltongue, if you have a predisposition to it you get the gift. What are you going to do now?”

“I’m not sure. Defiantly need to make sure he knows it’s not a common thing and that he can’t go around talking to random animals. But I’ll worry about that later, it sounds like he is about ready for that story. Are you sure you want to stay? It usually takes two or three before he’s happy and will settle down to sleep.”

“I’m sure; I enjoy spending time with him.” Draco led the way up to Teddy’s bedroom and Harry stood watching them from the doorway.

 

^^***^^

 

**Ten Years Later**

Draco was on hallway patrol when he paused by a window to watch the figure cross the grounds towards the forest. In the almost full moonlight he could tell that it was Teddy by the color of his hair, it had been shaggy and almost a silvery grey when he’d been in class that afternoon and it was still of the same look.

Draco had always suspected that Teddy snuck into the forest on occasion to meet with the wolf clan they had met all those years ago, but until tonight he hadn’t had any real evidence. There was still an hour before curfew so he finished his rounds and then went to the entrance hall to wait for his return.

When curfew had passed and still Teddy hadn’t reappeared Draco wondered if he had snuck in one of the side doors. He was about to go check the dorms when he heard a distant howl from outside and an indistinct shout. It wasn’t a shout of terror or pain so Draco stayed where he was and waited for his student to come back inside.

“It’s awfully late to be wandering the grounds, isn’t it? Especially with the full moon near, want to tell me what it is you are up to?” Draco stepped out of the shadows catching Teddy off guard. It was never his facial expressions that gave Teddy away, Draco had noticed over the years that his hair always reverted to its natural mousey brown whenever he was caught off guard. Almost like he couldn’t hold onto the morph that he was wearing.

“Follow me then. No point in standing here having this conversation,” Draco turned and started up the stairs that would lead them to his office. Once inside he set about warming the kettle up to make tea, though it was still unseasonably warm for November it was almost midnight.

“Please Draco, don’t tell Professor Sprout. There’s already enough trouble with the house losing all those points last week.”

“And what is it you don’t want me to tell your head of house? Are you going to tell me how long you have been making late night visits to the forest?”

Teddy slouched down in his chair realizing that he had been caught doing more than sneaking back into the castle after curfew. “I don’t go that often, mostly just when we’re feeling restless. It always seems to get worse towards the full moon, but when I’m with them it all feels better.”

Draco handed Teddy a cup of tea and sat back to study the boy for a moment. He did seem more withdrawn and quiet this year. Draco had chalked it up to sixth year classes and the more demanding course load, but now he wondered if there was something else bothering him.

“So you do go out to visit the wolf pack,” Teddy nodded his head, not taking his eyes off his cup. “I suspected as much. Given the circumstances I won’t tell Professor Sprout –”

“You won’t?”

“But I do believe Harry should be informed,” Draco finished, ignoring the interruption.

“Why…why do we have to tell Harry? I mean, he’s busy with the tournament at Durmstrang and everything. The first task is next week; we really don’t want to distract him from that.”

“Harry doesn’t consider you a distraction, isn’t he coming home next weekend for your quidditch game? Why don’t you tell me what the real problem is and perhaps we can wait until after the match to tell him.”

“The wolves are old, like, really old. They remember when Dad was here and would run around with his friends. Before the others mastered the animagus transformation they would try to talk to him when he transformed, but he wasn’t in a state to talk back they said. Well, anyway, Leidolf, he’s the leader, he’s the oldest and is dying. The others are arguing about who gets to take over. Leidolf believes it should be Bardou but Weylyn thinks he should get it. They keep asking me to choose for them, but I tell them I can’t.”

“That’s probably a smart decision, but still doesn’t explain why you are going to visit so frequently,” Draco warmed their tea and passed Teddy the plate of biscuits.

“Somehow they feel like family, when I’m with them I feel like I belong. Harry’s been so busy all summer helping make plans for the Tournament and then he traveled with everyone to be there it feels like he’s never around. And since you moved to school we hardly see you anymore except for short visits.”

“You see me all year at school.”

“But you’re my teacher, it’s not the same.”

“I don’t have to be your teacher all the time. You can come see me as your cousin whenever you need to; my door is always open to you. And I know that Harry has missed you while he’s been working on the Tournament. He wrote me just last week that you don’t seem to be replying to any of his owls.”

“He wrote and said he would be at Durmstrang when we got out for Christmas recess and so I couldn’t come over. Gram’s going to be away this year so that means I have to stay here. I didn’t want to stay at the castle by myself.”

“Christmas is still six weeks out, how do you know no one else is going to stay over?”

“Well none of my friends are, and I don’t want to hang out with a bunch of first and second years.”

“Now I think I understand. How about this, if you keep your studies up and no more nocturnal wanderings in the forest, I will talk to Harry about taking you home at the start of recess then he can join us and we’ll have a quiet little Christmas just the three of us?”

“Really? Oh thank you Draco,” Teddy launched himself across the space between them spilling both tea cups and not caring that sixteen year olds didn’t do such things. “I promise, all homework done and no more night time wanderings. Can I still visit them on weekends? They wouldn’t understand if I just stopped coming to see them?”

“That would be fine. Now off to bed with you before I have to write you up for being out passed curfew.”

Draco walked Teddy to the door and said good night. Sitting back down in his chair he gave some thought to what they had discussed. He would still have to tell Harry what Teddy has been up to, but not to get him in trouble. Getting McGonagall to give him the recess off was going to take some work, but it should be doable. He was pretty sure Harry would agree and be okay with the plan.

There was time to work on all of that later. It was late and he had a class first thing in the morning. Following his own advice Draco extinguished the lights and took himself off to bed.

 

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! All comments are extremely welcome either here or on [Livejournal](http://hd-fan-fair.livejournal.com/113874.html).


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